Ground Turkey Pasta Bake

Whole grain pasta, fresh kale (or spinach), and ground turkey meat topped with a reasonable amount of mozzarella cheese and baked until golden. This turkey pasta bake is perfect for a fairly quick weeknight meal, leftovers the next day and a meal prep.

In my house, everyone loves pasta with cheese, I bet in yours too. I just knew that I could sneak in a bunch of kale in this turkey pasta bake and nobody would complain. Nutritional powerhouse, kale is full of fiber, iron and antioxidants. I could see how this casserole would be a perfect candidate for going bad box of spinach.

Many people are scared of pasta because of carbs and heavy sauces. Here is my take on it: whole grain pasta made with tomato sauce and a little bit of cheese will not hurt you if eaten in moderation. I mean once in a few weeks 1 – 1.5 cups. Remember, one bad meal won’t make you fat, just like one healthy meal won’t make you skinny.

How to Make Turkey Pasta Casserole

1. Cook pasta al dente as per package instructions, undercooking by 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Preheat large skillet on medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground turkey and cook for another 7 minutes, breaking meat into pieces and stirring occasionally. 
3. Add tomato sauce, honey, pasta water, herb seasoning, salt, pepper, kale and stir. Add previously cooked pasta and stir again. 
4. Transfer half of the mixture in 9″ x 13″ baking dish and sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese. Top with remaining mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/4 cups cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
5. Remove foil and broil until cheese is golden brown. Serve hot garnished with parsley if desired. 

Whole grain pasta has more fiber than white pasta that has been stripped of nutrients. Simple carbohydrates like white pasta and rice cause high spikes of insulin thus inhibiting fat storage. I learnt that my body need good carbs to prevent me from overeating other food and thus going over my daily calorie intake. I do not count calories but I know what food I need to eat and when.

This baked ground turkey pasta casserole turned out delicious and juicy. It serves 8 people and you could easily freeze the leftovers. Or assemble the casserole and freeze with plastic wrap on top. When ready to eat, bake from frozen and increase baking time by 15 – 20 minutes.

I remember when I was pregnant, I stocked my freezer with similar casseroles, and they helped a lot once the baby arrived. I hope you and kids enjoy!

Looking for more healthy pasta recipes? Try my one pot taco pasta with pumpkin, healthy pasta with broccoli or slow cooker whole chicken and pasta.

Ground Turkey Pasta Bake

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.2 from 5 reviews

Turkey Pasta Bake is a casserole recipe made healthy with ground turkey, whole wheat pasta, kale or spinach, and tomato sauce.

• Author: Olena of ifoodreal.com
• Prep Time: 8 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 48 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Casserole
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: North American

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 3 cups (9 oz) whole wheat penne/fusilli pasta, uncooked
• 1 tsp olive oil, extra virgin
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 28 oz tomato sauce, low sodium
• 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 cup pasta water
• 1 tbsp italian herb seasoning (oregano or basil), dried
• 1 tsp salt
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 – 5 cups kale (1 bunch), stems removed & chopped*
• 2 cups (7 oz) mozzarella cheese, shredded & divided
• 1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Cook pasta al dente as per package instructions, undercooking by 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Preheat large skillet on medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground turkey and cook for another 7 minutes, breaking meat into pieces and stirring occasionally.
3. Add tomato sauce, honey, pasta water, herb seasoning, salt, pepper, kale and stir. Add previously cooked pasta and stir again.
4. Transfer half of the mixture in 9″ x 13″ baking dish and sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese. Top with remaining mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/4 cups cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
5. Remove foil and broil until cheese is golden brown. Serve hot garnished with parsley if desired.

Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.

Freeze: Assemble, tightly wrap with plastic and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as per instructions + 15 minutes.

Notes

*Spinach can be substituted for kale, especially that going bad in the fridge box staring right at you. When my spinach goes bad, I freeze the box to use later in a casserole recipe like this turkey pasta bake.

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35510.6 g579.3 mg4.3 g40.7 g42.7 g67.4 mg

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